Tuesday, May 3, 2011

9:56 PM

Dem Steve Doyle thanked supporters for delivering a win in the special election for the 94th AD and asked them to double down their efforts to help unseat Sen. Dan Kapanke in a recall election this summer.

Doyle, the La Crosse County Board chair, joked with supporters about the attack ads he faced in the election from outside groups, saying, "I'm Steve Doyle. I'm the career politician that raised your taxes."

He called his win a victory for those who believe in "clean, honest politics" and said when he goes to Madison, he will ask members of both parties, "What can I do to help make the situation better in this state?"

The 94th AD race between Doyle and Republican John Lautz was run against the backdrop of Gov. Scott Walker's efforts to roll back collective bargaining powers for public employees and comes just on the heels of a narrow race for state Supreme Court.

By winning, Doyle picks off a seat that had been held by Walker's DOA Secretary Mike Huebsch since 1994, though it's been more of a swing district at the top of the ticket in recent elections. Huebsch left the seat to join the guv's administration.

Doyle asked all of his volunteers to now focus their efforts on helping Dem Rep. Jen Shilling, who has announced she will challenge Kapanke, R-La Crosse.

“We’re going to send a second message to Madison that things have to change,” Doyle said.